By far the most ridiculous All-Star snub was Tampa Bay’s Blake Snell, who only leads the American League in ERA and is among the leaders in most other major pitching categories. It could be an ornery Snell on the mound Thursday as a favorite in the MLB lines for Thursday night against Minnesota.
Joe Mauer has 414 career doubles. He needs just one to pass Kirby Puckett and move into first place on the Twins all-time list (since 1961). Since May 1, Eddie Rosario is hitting .324 with 19 doubles, 15 home runs, 42 RBI, 18 walks and a .944 OPS. He should have been an All-Star.
It’s Kyle Gibson (3-6, 3.59) on the mound here. He fired seven strong innings to earn the win over the Orioles on Saturday, allowing three runs on four hits and four walks while striking out nine. Gibson has been solid for the Twins throughout most of the season and he continued that with Saturday’s effort, with most of the damage coming from a first-inning home run hit by Chris Davis. Gibson has been on a roll, posting a 3.14 ERA over his last eight starts.
Gibson is making his eighth career start against Tampa Bay, going 1-5 with a 6.81 ERA (37.0 IP, 28 ER) in his previous seven. His last start came earlier this season at Tampa where he suffered the loss after 6.1 innings and surrendering four runs on five hits, walking one and striking out seven.
Rays vs Twins MLB Lines & Prediction
Don’t look now but @CCron24 is heating up. 🔥#RaysUp pic.twitter.com/otcuuMkCcC
— Tampa Bay Rays (@RaysBaseball) 11 de julio de 2018
- When: Thursday, 8:10 PM ET
- Where: Target Field, Minneapolis
- Probable pitchers: Blake Snell/Kyle Gibson
- TV: MLB Extra Innings
- Radio: TuneIn
- MLB Lines: Tampa Bay Rays -113 / Minnesota Twins +103 (Total 8)
Recent Head to Head (Last 10 Games)
- Runs: Tampa Bay Rays 6.40 / Minnesota Twins 4.80
- Hits: Tampa Bay Rays 10.50 / Minnesota Twins 8.70
- Walks: Tampa Bay Rays 3.80 / Minnesota Twins 3.80
- Strikeouts: Tampa Bay Rays 9.80 / Minnesota Twins 9.90
Why Bet on Tampa Bay?
The Rays continue to overachieve as they won a fifth straight Wednesday, 4-2 over Detroit, to improve to 48-44. They won’t make the playoffs, but impressive considering the payroll. On Wednesday, C.J. Cron socked hit the go-ahead homer. Cron put Tampa ahead with a three-run blast off Detroit starter Jordan Zimmerman in the seventh inning. The home run was part of a three-hit afternoon for Cron, who finished a triple shy of the cycle. He’s been red-hot, batting .474 (9-for-19) with four doubles, two homers and seven RBI over his last five games. He already has hit a career-high 18 dingers. Kevin Kiermaier added three hits in the win. The two-time Gold Glover swatted his second home run of the year with a third-inning solo shot off Zimmermann. Kiermaier also contributed a leadoff single in the fifth and another base hit (this one of the infield variety) in the seventh. He’s on a five-game hit streak. Sergio Romo closed the door for his 11th save. Romo needed just 12 pitches to retire Detroit in the ninth inning, recording two strikeouts and a groundout. He has a 1.37 ERA since June 1. It’s ace Blake Snell on the mound, who got screwed over in terms of being named an AL All-Star. Snell (12-4, 2.09) allowed six hits and three walks while striking out nine across 7.1 scoreless innings to earn the win Saturday against the Mets. Snell generated 16 swinging strikes and stayed out of trouble by also generating 10 groundouts. Snell has been particularly dominant in his last three starts, striking out 29 batters across 21.2 innings. He ranks among the American League leaders in wins, innings pitched, strikeouts, ERA, and WHIP. Snell is the second pitcher in club history to hold the AL ERA lead in July or later. He is 8-1 with a 1.27 ERA in his last 10 starts. Snell Is 1-0 with a 4.41 ERA (16.1-IP, 8-ER) in 3 starts against the Twins, all at Tropicana Field. He last faced them on April 21 and his only run allowed in 7 IP was on a sacrifice fly by Miguel Sanó in the 1st inning. He has yielded 1 run in two of his 3 starts against the Twins. He beat the Twins earlier this season with seven dominant innings.Why Bet on Minnesota?
The Twins are playing better of late, winners of six of seven. They beat Kansas City 8-5 on Wednesday to win that series. Brian Dozier and Logan Morrison homered. Minnesota could get better soon as 2017 ace Ervin Santana (finger) will continue his minor league rehab assignment with Double-A Chattanooga. Santana resumed a minor league rehab assignment at the end of June with High-A Fort Myers while allowing three runs in seven innings with a 4/0 K/BB ratio over two starts. He’s still in the process of being stretched out and could still need a couple of starts before coming off the DL. The veteran right-hander has been out all season after early-February surgery on his right middle finger.
Joe Mauer has 414 career doubles. He needs just one to pass Kirby Puckett and move into first place on the Twins all-time list (since 1961). Since May 1, Eddie Rosario is hitting .324 with 19 doubles, 15 home runs, 42 RBI, 18 walks and a .944 OPS. He should have been an All-Star.
It’s Kyle Gibson (3-6, 3.59) on the mound here. He fired seven strong innings to earn the win over the Orioles on Saturday, allowing three runs on four hits and four walks while striking out nine. Gibson has been solid for the Twins throughout most of the season and he continued that with Saturday’s effort, with most of the damage coming from a first-inning home run hit by Chris Davis. Gibson has been on a roll, posting a 3.14 ERA over his last eight starts.
Gibson is making his eighth career start against Tampa Bay, going 1-5 with a 6.81 ERA (37.0 IP, 28 ER) in his previous seven. His last start came earlier this season at Tampa where he suffered the loss after 6.1 innings and surrendering four runs on five hits, walking one and striking out seven.
Latest MLB Betting Trends
- Rays are 20-7 in the last 27 meetings in Minnesota
- Rays are 35-16 in the last 51 meetings
- Twins are 1-4 in their last 5 games vs. a left-handed starter
- Twins are 0-7 in their last 7 vs. a team with a winning record
- Under is 5-0 in Snell’s last 5 road starts
- Tampa Bay is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games
- Tampa Bay is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games
- The total has gone UNDER in 18 of Tampa Bay’s last 25 games
- Minnesota is 6-2 ATS in its last 8 games
- Minnesota is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games
- The total has gone OVER in 4 of Minnesota’s last 5 games
